Powell election challenge withdrawn

Just days before a Senate committee was slated to take up the issue, a challenge to the November election of state Sen. Bobby Powell, D-Riviera Beach, has been withdrawn, Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, said in a memo Monday.

Republican Ron Berman, who lost to Powell in the Senate District 30 race in Palm Beach County, had filed a notice of contest.

Negron appointed a Credentials Committee, which was scheduled to consider the contest during a meeting Thursday.

But in Monday's memo to Senate Secretary Debbie Brown, Negron said Berman had withdrawn the challenge and that the committee is dissolved.